UPDATE: My auto mechanic is also a licensed CDL-B driver/instructor. He has a small fleet of school buses that his church utilizes and he is able to work with me for my upcoming NYS road test for my B license on March 14. After that, I will forward all my current info plus a refreshed application and will await the call. Since I would be based out of Buffalo, I will be working as a New York Trailways operator and my training will be based in Rochester, rather than Kingston as originally thought with occasional overnighters in Syracuse since my NYT instructor lives in the Syracuse area. The other thing I have to do is pass my 19A DOT physical and I have been making several lifestyle changes on that front as well. Being a Type-2 non-insulin dependent diabetic, I have to be extra careful with weight management and diet. My interim job has me working as a stocker with a local plumbing supply house and it's been keeping me very active. So far to date, I've lost 18 pounds in the past month

UPDATE: My auto mechanic is also a licensed CDL-B driver/instructor. He has a small fleet of school buses that his church utilizes and he is able to work with me for my upcoming NYS road test for my B license on March 14. After that, I will forward all my current info plus a refreshed application and will await the call. Since I would be based out of Buffalo, I will be working as a New York Trailways operator and my training will be based in Rochester, rather than Kingston as originally thought with occasional overnighters in Syracuse since my NYT instructor lives in the Syracuse area.

Major update!!!!

This whole process has been rife with twists and turns. I went to the DMV after work today to submit my DOT medical certificate because I was going to need that for my CLD-B road test, but I got an unexpected surprise!! I was able to REGAIN my CDL-A with passenger (P) endorsement. So now I can get info to Trailways a month earlier than I expected!

UPDATE: It turns out there was one other minute detail that was overlooked. Article 19A of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law pertains to bus driver regulations, who is eligible, etc. And this had been a major concern of mine because of my run in with the criminal justice system back in 1996-1997. So I consulted with a couple of attorneys and contacted the NYS Department of Education and the 19-A Bus Driver Certification Unit of the Department of Motor Vehicles. They all said the same thing: that because my conviction was so old and not even on the list of disqualifiable offenses in the actual text of the law, it doesn't even pass the smell test in terms of denying my 19-A clearance. Plus another question was answered by one of the attorneys. I tried to get in to First Student (then Laidlaw) back in 2006 but was disqualified then. Reason was that my conviction was less than 10 years old at that time. Now, it doesn't matter because again, it is so old and I've had nothing since then. So instead of going with my mechanic, we agreed the best way was for me to get linked up with a school bus company (First Student) and get my passenger endorsement as well as my 19-A clearance through them. Afterwards, I will contact Trailways and start with their driver training hoping to be on the Buffalo or Rochester board by July.

UPDATE: It turns out there was one other minute detail that was overlooked. Article 19A of the New York State Vehicle and Traffic Law pertains to bus driver regulations, who is eligible, etc. And this had been a major concern of mine because of my run in with the criminal justice system back in 1996-1997. So I consulted with a couple of attorneys and contacted the NYS Department of Education and the 19-A Bus Driver Certification Unit of the Department of Motor Vehicles. They all said the same thing: that because my conviction was so old and not even on the list of disqualifiable offenses in the actual text of the law, it doesn't even pass the smell test in terms of denying my 19-A clearance. Plus another question was answered by one of the attorneys. I tried to get in to First Student (then Laidlaw) back in 2006 but was disqualified then. Reason was that my conviction was less than 10 years old at that time. Now, it doesn't matter because again, it is so old and I've had nothing since then. So instead of going with my mechanic, we agreed the best way was for me to get linked up with a school bus company (First Student) and get my passenger endorsement as well as my 19-A clearance through them. Afterwards, I will contact Trailways and start with their driver training hoping to be on the Buffalo or Rochester board by July.

I wish you the best of luck Boris. I know that this means a lot to you and your family.

"The difference between what we do and what we are capable of doing would suffice to solve most of the world’s problems.”
Mahatma Gandhi

I've decided to withdraw my application with Trailways at this time. The executive VP for New York Trailways isn't hiring anyone for his terminals right now (Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse) and he wants me to get some wheel time in. Meanwhile, I just finished, rather successfully, a three week training course with First Student (yeah I know, cheese wagon) and they want a year out of me or I repay up to $3K for the training. Now for each month worked, they knock off $250, so that by this time next year, I won't have a financial commitment should I decide to jump ship. However, if New York Trailways does another round of hiring earlier next year, then I will have a much smaller bill to pay off. So this will benefit everyone involved.